LTC Brad Derrig prepares to leave  F-16ADF 82-0929 into a McChord AFB Alert Hangar after completing a cross-country flight to Washington State. Col Derrig flying in F-16A -0929, and two other “Happy Hooligan” F-16 ADF’s scrambled from their unit’s alert detachment at Langley AFB, VA to intercept hijacked airliners over New York and Washington DC during Sept 11, 2001.

While many were out returning gifts a day after Christmas, a small crowd gathered by one of  McChord's alert hangers to see the last flight of a aircraft that made its mark on history standing alert during September 11, 2001.  The aircraft, F-16A S/N 82-0929, one of the 3 F-16 scrambled against hijacked airliners on 9-11-01, poked through the rain clouds and touched down for the last time after a cross country flight from it's  base at Fargo, ND. The aircraft’s pilot Lt Col. Brad Derrig, Commander of the 119th Operations Group, North Dakota Air National Guard will always be linked by this journey, but the two will also be remembered as one of the U.S. initial defense against terror.  

What started out as another day standing alert at Langley AFB for the pilots of the 119th FW  better known as the “Happy Hooligans”, quickly became anything but routine. Shortly after terrorist commandeered civil airliners from New York airports, the units F-16's were ordered to “battle stations” and quickly given the “scramble” order by the Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) to defend the airspace of the United States. F-16ADF 82-0929 piloted by the then Maj. Brad Derrig, and two other F-16’s flown by Capt. Dean Eckmann Capt. Craig Borgstrom would later perform history's first CAP over Washington DC and the Pentagon. 

Since 2002 Foundation Board Member Ernest White lead the effort to bring the "9-11 first responders" to McChord for display. Over the years, White authored numerous letters and place more than a few phone calls to many individuals and organizations in the USAF, Department of Defense and Congress in a effort to gain a waver for S/N -929 because of its important history. Since the early 90’s only F-16 considered to be “non flyers” were the only aircraft available for display.  

During the last months of 2006 what seemed to be a futile effort to acquire -929 became a reality. Working with the F-16 System Program Office or “SPO” White was able to secure the F-16 before it’s scheduled flight to the Davis-Monthan “Boneyard”, where it was to be used for a source of spare parts for other F-16. "It was not until I saw her taxi by until I realized that we really did get her here" White said, "This is a day I though I would never see!”

Although the McChord Air Museum was not on the Air Force’s waiting list for F-16, the Western Air Defense Sector had been on since 1994. The unit had planned on displaying the aircraft with the other historic Fighter-Interceptor aircraft, but later decided to honor the aircraft by displaying it in front of the units headquarters. When asked about the location change White responded “The best ending to this story is that a very historic aircraft was saved for many generations to admire”  

 

Foundation Board Member Ernest White greets Col. Derrig after he leaves F-16 82-0929 for the last time